Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
4010–25K
4525–50K
1350–75K
475–100K
5100–150K
0150K+
468 reports with mileage · 365 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Visibility/wiper. Review the 370 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 134 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 106 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
37 crash reports11 fire reports16 injury reports
What owners actually said
833 reports
7,000 miles · Aug 23, 2019
Unknown Or Other
I WAS BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE, APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH. REAR VIEW MIRROR FELL OFF WINDSHIELD. WINDSHIELD AT PLACE OF MIRROR ATTACHMENT HAD BROKEN SO A LARGE CHUNK OF THE WINDSHIELD WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE MIRROR. WAS NOT A FULL THICKNESS BREAK BUT CREATED A DIVOT IN THE WINDSHIELD APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER. THERE WAS…
Read full complaint
I WAS BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE, APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH. REAR VIEW MIRROR FELL OFF WINDSHIELD. WINDSHIELD AT PLACE OF MIRROR ATTACHMENT HAD BROKEN SO A LARGE CHUNK OF THE WINDSHIELD WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE MIRROR. WAS NOT A FULL THICKNESS BREAK BUT CREATED A DIVOT IN THE WINDSHIELD APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE TO THIS AREA OF WINDSHIELD. CAR HAD BEEN IN NO ACCIDENTS. THERE WAS A VERY SMALL (1/2 INCH) STAR IN WINDSHIELD TOWARD OUTSIDE OF PASSENGER SIDE WHICH OCCURRED FROM ROCK 4 MONTHS BEFORE AND WAS NOT ENLARGING.
NHTSA ODI #11246134
12,000 miles · Aug 21, 2019
Visibility/wiper
WINSHIELD HAS CRACKED TWICE ON A 2019 SUBARU FORRESTER. EITHER THE ANGLE OF THE WINDSHIELD, OR THE QUALITY OF THE GLASS IS A VERY POOR DESIGN. I THINK THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED, BECAUSE I'M SURE THIS WILL BECOME A COMMON PROBLEM.
NHTSA ODI #11245565
2,000 miles · Aug 18, 2019
Visibility/wiper
08/16/19 I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 70MPH, I HEARD A VERY FAINT "TINK" AND SAW A 1 INCH CRACK ON THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE NEAR THE OUTER EDGE. I DID NOT SEE A ROCK AND IT DEFINITELY WAS NOT A LOUD SOUND LIKE A NORMAL ROCK CHIP WOULD CREATE. MY INSURANCE SET UP AN APPOINTMENT AT 8:00 AM THE FOLLOWING MORNING 08/17/19 WI…
Read full complaint
08/16/19 I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 70MPH, I HEARD A VERY FAINT "TINK" AND SAW A 1 INCH CRACK ON THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE NEAR THE OUTER EDGE. I DID NOT SEE A ROCK AND IT DEFINITELY WAS NOT A LOUD SOUND LIKE A NORMAL ROCK CHIP WOULD CREATE. MY INSURANCE SET UP AN APPOINTMENT AT 8:00 AM THE FOLLOWING MORNING 08/17/19 WITH SAFELITE TO REPAIR IT. AFTER BEING AT SAFELIGHT FOR ONLY 5 MINUTES THE TECH COMES OUT TO TELL ME THE WINDSHIELD SPLIT AND NOW I HAVE A 19 INCH CRACK ACROSS MY WINDSHIELD AND IT MUST BE REPLACED AND THE CAMERAS RECALIBRATED THROUGH SUBARU. I NOW HAVE TO DRIVE MY 1 MONTH OLD SUBARU FORESTER SPORT WITH A CRACKED WINDSHIELD UNTIL MY SUBARU DEALER CAN GET ME A NEW WINDSHIELD AND REPAIR DATE. I'VE OWNED HONDA, TOYOTA , SCION, CHEVY, GMC, ACURA, LEXUS AND FORD AND HAVE NEVER HAD A WINDSHIELD CRACK OR SPLIT. THIS SEEMS TO BE WAY TOO COMMON WITH THESE SUBARU WINDSHIELDS.
NHTSA ODI #11244781
60 miles · Aug 14, 2019
Vehicle Speed Control
THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES/LURCHES FORWARD EVERY TIME WHEN COASTING OR SLOWLY BRAKING FROM AROUND 30MPH TO A STOP. THERE IS A NORMAL PREDICTABLE REDUCTION IN SPEED UNTIL THE CAR REACHES 15 TO 16 MPH, AT WHICH POINT IT ACCELERATES/LURCHES FORWARD. IT FEELS AS IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS SUDDENLY SHIFTING AND CREATING MORE POWER. THE …
Read full complaint
THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES/LURCHES FORWARD EVERY TIME WHEN COASTING OR SLOWLY BRAKING FROM AROUND 30MPH TO A STOP. THERE IS A NORMAL PREDICTABLE REDUCTION IN SPEED UNTIL THE CAR REACHES 15 TO 16 MPH, AT WHICH POINT IT ACCELERATES/LURCHES FORWARD. IT FEELS AS IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS SUDDENLY SHIFTING AND CREATING MORE POWER. THE SEVERITY OF THE ACCELERATION WHILE FLUCTUATES WILDLY. IN ONE INSTANCE WHILE SLOWING APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT THE CAR SEVERELY ACCELERATED FORCING ME TO HAVE TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES TO COMPENSATE AND PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM CRASHING INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF US WAITING AT THE STOP LIGHT. THE CAR CAME TO A STOP APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET IN FRONT OF WHERE WE WOULD HAVE STOPPED UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 100 MILES ON IT WHEN THE MOST SEVERE OF THESE INSTANCES OCCURRED. ON ANOTHER NOTE THE CAR HAS TROUBLE COASTING. IT DECELERATES ABNORMALLY FAST WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS.
NHTSA ODI #11244066
5,500 miles · Aug 12, 2019
Visibility/wiper
HUSBAND WAS DRIVING HOME AFTER GRAVEYARD WORK SHIFT, WITH NO OTHER CARS ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN HE HEARD A CRACK. HE NOTICED A CRACK COMING FROM UNDER THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, CLOSER TO THE DRIVER SIDE. HE DID HAVE THE DEFROSTER ON. THE NEXT DAY THE CRACK HAD SPREAD AND 2 MORE CRACKS APPEARED ON …
Read full complaint
HUSBAND WAS DRIVING HOME AFTER GRAVEYARD WORK SHIFT, WITH NO OTHER CARS ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN HE HEARD A CRACK. HE NOTICED A CRACK COMING FROM UNDER THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, CLOSER TO THE DRIVER SIDE. HE DID HAVE THE DEFROSTER ON. THE NEXT DAY THE CRACK HAD SPREAD AND 2 MORE CRACKS APPEARED ON THE WINDSHIELD. WE CALLED THE DEALER AND NOTIFIED THEM AND THEY SAID WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THAT SINCE WE DIDN'T PURCHASE ADDITIONAL WARRANTY, AND IT IS NOT A FACTORY DEFECT THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF. IT IS A NEW 2019 SUBARU FORESTER.
NHTSA ODI #11243300
450 miles · Aug 10, 2019
Visibility/wiper
I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND DID NOT HEAR A ROCK OR ANY OBJECT HIT WINDSHIELD. WHEN I ARRIVED HOME I NOTICED A CRACK IN WINDSHIELD BEGINNING AT DEICER OF WINDSHIELD UP TO 25% UPWARDS FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE WINDOW APPEARS TO BE BRITTLE AND SUBARU PREVIOUSLY HAD SAME ISSUE WITH 2016 OUTBACKS. SUBARU DENIED THIS WAS…
Read full complaint
I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND DID NOT HEAR A ROCK OR ANY OBJECT HIT WINDSHIELD. WHEN I ARRIVED HOME I NOTICED A CRACK IN WINDSHIELD BEGINNING AT DEICER OF WINDSHIELD UP TO 25% UPWARDS FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE WINDOW APPEARS TO BE BRITTLE AND SUBARU PREVIOUSLY HAD SAME ISSUE WITH 2016 OUTBACKS. SUBARU DENIED THIS WAS WITHIN WARRANTY. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW 3-4 WEEKS AGO.
NHTSA ODI #11243043
3,500 miles · Aug 8, 2019
Unknown Or Other
WINDSHIELD OF CAR CRACKED WITHOUT ANY CONTACT. THERE WAS A LOUD CRACKING NOISE AND A LARGE CRACK APPEARED WHICH KEPT GETTING LONGER AS I DROVE. THE CAR WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED ON A SUNNY NORMAL CHICAGO SUMMER DAY, ABOUT 80 DEGREES F.
NHTSA ODI #11242666
6,000 miles · Aug 6, 2019
Vehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS SPOUSE WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO TWO OTHER PARKED VEHICLES. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED LACERATIONS TO HER ARM WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS …
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS SPOUSE WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO TWO OTHER PARKED VEHICLES. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED LACERATIONS TO HER ARM WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER IN ANNAPOLIS, BUT CURRENTLY HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO CONTACT ANNAPOLIS SUBARU INC LOCATED AT 149 OLD SOLOMONS ISLAND RD, ANNAPOLIS, MD 21401, (443) 837-1400, BY PHONE BUT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED OR NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000.
NHTSA ODI #11241936
2,200 miles · Aug 2, 2019
Unknown Or Other
MY COMPLAINT MAY NOT BE VALID BUT I THOUGH IT APPROPRIATE SINCE MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING WINDSHIELD PROBLEMS WITH THEIR 2018/19 SUBARU FORESTERS. I HAD A SMALL ROCK BOUNCE OF THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH ON AUG 1,2019 AND NOW THE SHIELD IS SPIDER WEBBED WITH TWO LONG CRACKS AND TWO SMALLER CRACKS. FROM MY READINGS ONLIN…
Read full complaint
MY COMPLAINT MAY NOT BE VALID BUT I THOUGH IT APPROPRIATE SINCE MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING WINDSHIELD PROBLEMS WITH THEIR 2018/19 SUBARU FORESTERS. I HAD A SMALL ROCK BOUNCE OF THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH ON AUG 1,2019 AND NOW THE SHIELD IS SPIDER WEBBED WITH TWO LONG CRACKS AND TWO SMALLER CRACKS. FROM MY READINGS ONLINE, IT APPEARS THAT PEOPLE WITH THESE MODELS ARE HAVING TO REPLACE THEIR WINDSHIELDS AT UNUSUAL RATES. OF COURSE YOU CANNOT PREDICT WHAT A ROCK TO THE SHIELD WILL DO, BUT I DO KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT DRIVING THESE SAME ROADS AND CONDITIONS FOR 20YEARS WITH TWO OTHER VEHICLES, THAT I HAVE ONLY HAD TO REPLACE TWO WINDSHIELDS. JUST MY TWO CENTS AND AFTER THIS REPLACEMENT WE SHALL SEE HOW LONG THE NEXT SHIELD LASTS.
NHTSA ODI #11241332
3,800 miles · Jul 31, 2019
Air BagsEngineUnknown Or OtherCrashFire
IN AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING FRONT END TO OTHER CAR REAR END ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE AIRBAG SYSTEM DIDN'T DEPLOY. THE ENGINE THEN CAUGHT FIRE IN THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE ENGINE. THE ENTIRE CAR BURNED. FORTUNATELY NO INJURY TO DRIVER OR PASSENGER.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Subaru Crosstrek, 2019 Crosstrek Hybrid, and 2019 Forester vehicles. The rear stabilizer bracket bolts may loosen and detach.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Missing bolts may allow the rear stabilizer bracket to shift, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will retorque and replace any missing bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-21.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek, Forester, and Ascent vehicles. The aluminum Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve can separate, allowing the separated components to enter the engine, resulting in a loss of power while driving.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the PCV valve, free of charge. If the PCV valve has separated and the components cannot be found, the short block engine will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began January 31, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUW-08.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Forester and Crosstrek vehicles. A connector inside the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) unit may short circuit resulting in a loss of electric power steering assistance.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Loss of power steering assist would require higher steering effort, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: None of the affected vehicles have been sold yet. Subaru has notified dealers and they will inspect the steering gearbox, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUC-88.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗